Is your federal building safe?

Public Services Minister Judy Foote was warned late last year that without a significant boost in repair funds, some federal buildings could become unfit for workers by jeopardizing health and safety.

Briefing material prepared for Foote says her department was so cash-strapped that it could no longer pay for building inspections used to uncover health and safety risks and identify required repairs.

Foote was told that without additional funding, utilities and services could stop.

Officials also said that about one-third of federal buildings are rated as being in poor condition.

The details are contained in documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

Department officials estimated they would need at least $350 million a year to pay for badly needed repairs and maintenance work that had been scaled back for years under budget cuts instituted by the previous Conservative government.

The Liberals set aside $248 million for repairs and maintenance to federal buildings so far this fiscal year, which would be $100 million short of what officials estimated is needed to maintain aging buildings.